Rocked to the Core Read Online Free

But what I saw when I got inside made me stop cold. At which time the door swung closed with my big butt still in the way, and knocked me down.
    I was lying on the floor hoping I had somehow managed to become invisible when a familiar British accent sounded across the diner. "Liss, love, are you all right?"
    I got up slowly, using the back of a booth for balance. "Hey Dex. Long time no see."
    The bass player in Joe's band grinned and ran over. He wrapped me in a tight hug that made my stinging knees hurt even worse, but I ignored it and hugged him back.
    "I've been sitting here for hours waiting for you."
    "Why?"
    "Your boss said you'd be in."
    I looked up into his dark eyes and smiled. "I mean why are you here?"
    "At this diner?"
    "In town, dummy."
    "Oh." He chuckled and patted me on the head. "Can't a bloke leave his life of excess and glamor to come visit his favorite girl in the world?"
    "Go to hell, Dex. Be serious for once." A ball of fear tightened in my stomach. "Is something wrong? Is it Joe?"
    The sly smile on his face slid away. "No, god no. He's fine. Everything's fine."
    "Then answer my question. Why are you here? I thought you guys were still on the road."
    "Fuck. You're serious? I thought you knew we were going to be here."
    "I didn't. I don't."
    "Oh. We're done touring for now. Writing songs and rehearsing before recording the new album."
    "I see. Um, and that's all happening here?"
    "Yeah."
    "So you're all in town? The whole band? And will be here for a while?" With each word my voice rose higher until it was at a shrill shriek.
    "At least a month," he replied.
    My knees went watery and I swayed a bit. Dex held onto my arm and looked down at me like I was crazy. Which, to be fair, I was.
    "Liss, what's going on? Why are you so freaked out?"
    "I-I'm not. Just uh, surprised. Um…come sit down. Did you eat? Do you want some cake? Or a beer?"
    "I've been stuffing my face all afternoon. I think I ate a whole pie. Are you sure you're okay?"
    "Uh huh. Of course." I smiled weakly at him. "I need to go drop my purse in the back. Give me a minute, okay?"
    "Sure. I'll be at the counter."
    "Great."
    I walked to the back in a haze. Bombs could have exploded around me and I wouldn't have noticed. At first I felt shocked that the whole band was in town. But then I realized it made sense. I'd just barely begun to pull myself together, had my first few hours of feeling like a person again. Of course that's when Joe and company would walk back into my life. Into my city. Into my diner. Oh god, what if he was coming? What if he was meeting Dex here? Just thinking about him made my mouth dry and my hands shake. I wasn't ready to see him. I couldn't handle seeing him.
    I guess I'd been standing in the back room so long people got worried. Darrell opened the door from the kitchen and poked his head in.
    "You okay, kiddo?"
    I nodded. "Fine."
    He wiped his hands on his chef's jacket and walked into the room. "Want to try that one again?"
    "I'll be fine. Just need a minute."
    "Liss you've been in here for twenty. That big-eater English fella thinks he gave you a heart attack or something."
    I laughed humorlessly. Heart attack was about the size of it, too. "Tell him I'm sorry. I'll be out in a second."
    He peered at me for a moment and then nodded. "Okay."
    When I was alone again I shoved my purse in my locker and pulled on my apron. I tied my hair back and washed my hands, staring at my face in the mirror. I was pale and my eyes were wide.
    I frowned at my reflection and turned away. I smoothed down my apron a dozen times before opening the door and heading into the front of the diner.
    Dex was, of course, flirting shamelessly with the other waitress on duty. She leaned against the counter giggling as he scarfed down a piece of cheesecake. The whole time I was on the road with the band I'd never seen him do any more exercise than chasing a cute groupie around a room, but his tall, wide form was all muscle. I could only imagine he